Educational building toy modules with interior lights and mechanical connections acting as circuit closers

ABSTRACT

An educational toy comprising a plurality of interiorly illuminable modules, each of which is electrically interengageable with another module to form a stacked arrangement of modules. Each module contains a lamp therewithin which is energized when the module is connected to another module.

United States Patent Teller [451 Oct. 10, 1972 [54] EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGTOY 3,576,936 5/1971 Fischer ..35/ 19 A MODULES WITH INTERIOR LIGHTS3,237,341 3/ 1966 Janning ..46/ 16 AND MECHANICAL CONNECTIONS 3,225,46012/1965 Randell et al ..46/226 X ACTING As CIRCUIT CLOSERS 3,484,98412/1969 Fischer ..46/226 X [72] Inventor: Alvin N. Teller, Chicago, 111.Primary Barry Shay [73] Assignee: Kinetic Technologies, Inc.Attorney-Lettvin & Gerstman [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21]Appl' l07l91 An educational toy comprising a plurality of interiorlyilluminable modules, each of which is electrically in- [52] US. Cl...46/25, 46/16, 46/228 terengageable with another module to form astacked [51] Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/08 arrangement of modules. Each modulecontains a [58] Field of Search ..46/ 16, 226, 228; 35/ 19 A lamptherewithin which is energized when the module is connected to anothermodule. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3 Claims, 9 DrawingFigures Fischer ..46/25 PAIENTEMBI 10 m2 3 e96; 548

SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENTOR ALV/A/ N. TEL/.5 f 1 w ATTORNEYS EDUCATIONALBUILDING TOY MODULES WITH INTERIOR LIGHTS AND MECHANICAL CONNECTIONSACTING AS CIRCUIT CLOSERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relatesto an amusement device which may also be used for educational purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For many years children have enjoyed playingwith blocks of various forms and building structures with such blocks.Such building is generally amusing to the child and serves many usefultraining functions. For example, the child is given a sense ofaccomplishment while he performs an artistic endeavor, and the childlearns basic mechanics of construction during his attempts to build astructure. Building blocks have been found very useful for childrenbetween the ages of one and four, and typically after the age of four achilds interest in building with simple blocks appears to dwindle. .Ihave invented a device which has all of the favorable characteristics ofbuilding blocks yet includes many novel additional features which drawthe attention of children of many ages and which device includes moduleswhich may be connected to form a large number of attractive forms.

One of the attractions of the present invention is its ability toprovide a new effect with each connection that is made. That is, eachtime a moduleis connected with another module, an interior lamp withinone of the modules is energized to illuminate the connected module.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention toprovide an educational toy which provides amusement for a child whileteaching him artistic concepts, mechanical concepts and providing himwith a sense of accomplishment.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an educationaltoy which comprises a number of interiorly illuminable modules, each ofwhich is electrically interengageable with another module to form astacked arrangement of modules.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the presentinvention, a plurality of modules are provided each of which contains alamp therewithin and'has electrical connectors fastened to the moduleshousing for complementary connection with electrical connectors onanother modules housing. In this manner, engagement of one module withanother will place the lamp of one module in circuit for energization.Means are provided for electrically energizing the lamps of theconnected modules.

In one embodiment of the invention, each module contains its own batterypower source connected in series with the lamp. The series circuit isnormally opencircuited across the electrical connectors. Each modulecarries a pair of complementary shorted electrical connectors forengagement with the open-circuited electrical connectors of anothermodule, to complete the series circuit when two modules areinterconnected.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a base in providedhaving complementary electrical connectors for engagement with theelectrical connectors of one of the modules. Means are provided forconnecting the bases electrical connectors to a supply of householdcurrent.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, the modules have ahousing that is formed of a material that is substantially opaque whenviewed from the outside when the lamp therein is unlit, but is lighttransmissive with respect to an energized lamp located therein. Thematerial has an opacity that obscures the outline of the lamp and itsfilament when the lamp is energized.

A more detailed explanation of the invention is provided in thefollowing description and claims, and is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 2 is a perspective view,partially exploded, of an educational building toy in accordance withthe principles of the present inventions;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken in order to view theinterior, of one of the modules from the toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation of the removable endof one of the modules;

FIG. 4 is similar to the view of FIG. 3, except that the removable endhas been removed;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the electrical connectors used in the FIG.1 embodiment, taken along the line s-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic circuit diagram of a modules electrical circuit;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of educational buildingtoy in accordance with the principles of the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view, partially broken in order to view theinterior, of one of the modules from the toy of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical circuit of theFIGS. 7 and 8 embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 and 2Embodiment Referring to the drawings, the educational building toy 10 ofFIG. 1 includes a plurality of modules 12 which can be interconnectedwith each other to form various configurations of a building unit. Whileeach module may take many different shapes, the modules illustrated inFIG. 1 comprise cubes and a pyramid.

Each of the modules 12 is formed of a plastic housing 16 within which isfastened a pair of battery clips 18, 20 between which is positioned aconventional battery or suitable source of electrical energy 22. Alsolocated within housing 16 is a lamp socket 24 having a low voltage lamp26 positioned therein. An electrically conductive wire 28 connects thepositive terminal of battery 22 to the base 30 of lamp socket 24 and theside of the lamp socket is connected by electrical conductor 32 to anelectrical connector 34. The negative terminal of battery 22 isconnected via electrically conductive wire 36 to another electricalconnector 38. A schematic diagram of the circuitry is shown in FIG. 6.

Module 12 also has another pair of electrical connectors 40, 42 suitablyfastened to housing 16. Connectors 40, 42 are electrically shorted bymeans of electrically conductive wire 44. It can be readily seen thatwhen connectors 34, 38 of one module are in electrical engagement withconnectors 40, 42, the series circuit containing battery 22 and lamp 26is closed to energize lamp 26.

Many different types of electrical connectors could be used. Forexample, instead of using a separate connector for each pole, a singlebipolar connector, similar to a telephone jack, could be utilized.Additionally, the connectors need not be male and female, but could beplanar surface contact connectors.

The connectors of the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment are shown in detail inFIG. 5, where it can be seen that connector 34 comprises an externallythreaded sleeve 48 to which a prong 50 is fastened, which sleeve ispositioned within an aperture 52 defined by housing 16. A nut 54, whichis in threaded engagement with sleeve 48, is utilized to fasten sleeve48 to housing 16. Wire 32 issoldered at 56 to the electricallyconductive sleeve 48.

Conductor 40 comprises a female receptacle having an insulative annularrim 60 and an electrically conductive fitting 62 which receives prong 50in frictional engagement therewith. An externally threaded sleeve 64 isfastened to housing 16 and is separated from electrically conductivefitting 62 by an extension 65 of rim 60. Wire 44 is soldered at 66 to anelectrically conductive extension of fitting 62.

One side 70 of module 12 is removable to obtain access to the interiorof the module. Referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, it can be seen that side70 comprises an inwardly extending continuous flange 72, the outersurface 74 of which snugly engages the inner surfaces 76 of the module.The inside surfaces of side 70 outside of flange 72 are bevelled to forma bevelled connection 80 with the bevelled cooperating ends 78 of thesides of module 12 to which end 70 connects. As shown in FIG. 4, a notch82 is provided to enable side 70 to be pried with a screwdriver out ofengagement with the other sides of module 12.

FIGS. 7 and 8 Embodiment In the FIGS. 7 and 8 embodiment of theinvention, there is provided an electrically connected base 100, towhich one or more modules 102 is connected. As with modules 12 of theFIG. 1 embodiment, modules 102 can have various configurations and canbe interconnected to form various constructions. Also, the housingsforming the modules consist of a plastic material similar to the plasticmaterial used in the modules of FIG. 1.

The electrical connections within the FIGS. 7 and 8 modules are suchthat the lamp 104 positioned in each of the modules is simply connectedin parallel to each pair of electrical connectors. In other words,referring to FIG. 8, the base of the lamp socket is directlyelectrically connected via lines 105 and 107 to male connector 108 andfemale connector 106 and the side of the lamp socket is directlyelectrically connected via line 109 to male connector 112 and via line111 to female connector 110. Although electrical connectors 106, 108,110, and 112 could take various forms, in the FIGS. 7 and 8 embodimentthey are illustrated as male connectors 108 and 112 being identical toconnectors 34 and 38 of the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment, and femaleconnectors 106 and 110 being identical to connectors 40 and 42 of theFIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment.

Female connectors 106 and 110 are also fastened to base and areconnected to a suitable source of household current so that these femaleconnectors will be electrically energized to provide energization toconnected modules 102.

Referring to FIG. 9, it is seen that the electrical circuit of base 100comprises a pair of leads 120 and 122 which are connected to aconventional male plug 124 for connection to a household current supply.Leads 120 and 122 are connected through a step-down transformer 126, thesecondary 128 of which is connected across receptacle connectors 106 andas shown in FIG. 8. It is preferred that the lamps 104 located withinthe housings of modules 12 are 6-volt lamps and for that reasonstep-down transformer 126 is utilized. By using low-voltage lamps, thelow voltages in the module circuits provide a safety factor.

It can be seen that the male connectors 108, 112 of any module 102 canbe placed in engagement with receptacle connectors 106, 110 forelectrical energization of the lamp 104 within the module. Uponconnection of a first module 102 with any connectors 106,1 10 of base100, the lamp 104 of the first connected module 102 will be energized.Subsequent connection of any module to the first-connected module or tosucceeding connecting modules will place the lamp of each connectedmodule in parallel for energization.

As with the FIGS. 1 and 2 embodiment, one end of modules 102 isremovable in the same manner that end 70 of modules 12 (in the FIGS. 1and 2 embodiment) is removable. This can be seen by reference to thesecond module from the top module of FIG. 7. In this manner, anoperative lamp can be substituted for an inoperative one.

In order to make the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the embodiment ofFIGS. 7 and 8 most attractive to children, it is preferred that themodules be very colorful, with each side of each module being adifferent color from the other sides. It is further preferred that themodules be formed of a plastic material that is substantially opaquewhen viewed from the outside of the module while the lamp is notenergized, but is somewhat light transmissive with respect to anenergized lamp located therein. However, the plastic material preferablyhas an opacity that obscures the outline of the lamp and its filamentwhen the lamp is energized, so that, when a lamp is energized, thehousing of the module will appear to be illuminated from the interiorthereof, without showing an outline of the lamp filament.

It is to be understood that various modifications and substitutions maybe made by those skilled in the art without departing from the novelspirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the modulescould be formed of various different materials, that take variousdifferent configurations and shapes, and the modules may vary in lighttransmissivity. Further, the electrical connectors may take variousdifferent forms and the base of the FIG. 7 embodiment to which modulesare connected could take various configurations. As an additionalattraction to children, numerals and/or letters and/or symbols may beplaced on various sides of the modules and certain color combinationsmay be utilized to aid the children in learning words, numbers,arithmetic, and colors, or other subjects which may be learned throughthe use of block connections.

What is claimed is:

1. An educational toy comprising a plurality of interiorly illuminatedmodules each of which is interengageable with another module to form astackable arrangement of modules, each module having one side that isdisconnectable to provide simple access to its interior; a lamp socketand battery contact means located in each module to provide receptaclesfor a lamp bulb and a battery, respectively, first electrical connectorsfastened to each modules housing, means electrically connecting saidsocket and said battery contacts to said first electrical connectorswhereby said lamp bulb and battery will be in series with the seriescircuit being normally open-circuited across said first electricalconnectors; each modules housing carrying second electrical connectorswhich are electrically shorted and are complementary with said firstelectrical connectors, to complete said series circuit when two modulesare interconnected.

2. An educational toy as described in claim 1, wherein said modules havea housing that is formed of a material that is substantially opaque whenviewed from the outside when the lamp therein is unlit but is lighttransmissive with respect to an energized lamp located therein.

3. An educational toy as described in claim 2, wherein said material hasan opacity that obscures the outline of the lamp and its filament whenthe lamp is energized.

1. An educational toy comprising a plurality of interiorly illuminatedmodules each of which is interengageable with another module to form astackable arrangement of modules, each module having one side that isdisconnectable to provide simple access to its interior; a lamp socketand battery contact means located in each module to provide receptaclesfor a lamp bulb and a battery, respectively, first electrical connectorsfastened to each module''s housing, means electrically connecting saidsocket and said battery contacts to said first electrical connectorswhereby said lamp bulb and battery will be in series with the seriescircuit being normally open-circuited across said first electricalconnectors; each module''s housing carrying second electrical connectorswhich are electrically shorted and are complementary with said firstelectrical connectors, to complete said series circuit when two modulesare interconnected.
 2. An educational toy as described in claim 1,wherein said modules have a housing that is formed of a material that issubstantially opaque when viewed from the outside when the lamp thereinis unlit but is light transmissive with respect to an energized lamplocated therein.
 3. An educational toy as described in claim 2, whereinsaid material has an opacity that obscures the outline of the lamp andits filament when the lamp is energized.